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Community
Announcements
This week, you'll find detailed information on the following events:
January 26, 2008: Peak Oil Action Committee Meeting
January 27, 2008: LSN Gardeners' Potluck Brunch -- Join us!
January 27, 2008: Kaw Valley Eagle's Day Events
January 30, 2008: Public Hearing on draft Lawrence Smartcode
January 31, 2008: Focus the Nation Round Table
February 2, 2008: Plainscraft wilderness exploration of the Wakarusa River
February 3, 2008: LSN Steering Committee meeting -- Join us!
February 4, 2008: Plainscraft Monday night Nature talk: Coming to your Senses
February 22, 2008: Participate in April's READ-OUT, SING-OUT, SPEAK-OUT, ACT-OUT, DANCE-OUT ON EARTHCARE!
KU Lecture Series at the Commons
February 12: Nate Brunsell on "Trading Water for Carbon"
March 5: An Evening with Rod Bremby
March 26: William Pizer on possibilities for "Global Climate Change Policy"
April 9: Andrew Torrance on "Climate Change and the Changing Legal Climate"
April 16: Terry Evans, photographer, "From Prairie to Ice Sheet"
ALSO BELOW, FIND...
*Employment Opportunity: Executive Director, Kansas Land Trust
*New Films on Public Access Television for January
*A Community Living Opportunity at Pinwheel Farm
*An Herb Grower Internship Opportunity at Vajra Farm
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Saturday, 26 January 2008, 2:00pm-4:00pm
PEAK OIL ACTION COMMITTEE - MEETING
Aimee's Coffee House, 1025 Massachusetts, Lawrence
Peak Oil (the peak of global oil production) is predicted to occur very
soon, if not already, judging by $100/barrel oil. The peak occurs when
oil production can no longer keep up with oil consumption, at which time
prices skyrocket. All known major oil reserves are now in decline
(except the slight increase in Russian reserves), yet the major
industrial nations and China and India all are showing a rapid increase
in demand. (natural gas is facing a similar production peak).
Peak Oil price inflation will negatively impact everything dependent on
oil: home heating, transportation, agricultural fertilizers and
pesticides and fuel, refrigeration, any item made from plastics (which
is virtually everything), the suburbs, medical care, retail trade, etc.
Economic relocalization and community cooperation will be the only
socially just solutions (martial law or vigilantes will take over
otherwise). Making the transition from competitive to cooperative
culture will be difficult but essential, and convivially rewarding.
http://www.communitysolution.org/
Come join our mutual efforts to educate the community about the urgency
of Peak Oil and to develop local response plans for our own families,
neighborhoods, city and region. There are many good resources, but it
will take concerted and organized effort to implement them here.
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Sunday, January 27, 2008 at 10:30am
LSN Gardeners' Veggie Potluck Brunch
info@lawrencesustainability.net for directions
It's time for the LSN Gardeners to start planning our Spring gardens! You will be most welcome whether you already have a vegetable garden and lots of experience or are an interested beginner who would like to learn how to grow some of your own food.
Join us for a potluck brunch and conversation about seasonal topics such as seeds appropriate for our area, and garden planning and scheduling. We will also talk about the possibility of promoting more household, neighborhood, and community gardens in Lawrence. If there are other subjects you'd like to raise, bring them up at the meeting for discussion. We're looking forward to seeing you all!!
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Sunday, January 27, 2008 from 10am-4pm
Kaw Valley Eagles Day
Free State High School 4700 Overland Drive, Lawrence
Free Admission
The Jayhawk Audubon Society invites everyone to celebrate the return of eagles to area lakes and rivers. Enjoy many hands-on educational and fun activities and exhibits for kids of all ages. Build a birdhouse to take home; make an eagle; dissect an owl pellet; and more. Nature and environmental exhibits will be open from 10am-4pm.
Special Presentations:
11:00 - Bald Eagle Banding in Kansas
12:00 - Eagles in Kansas: What does the Future Hold?
1:30 - Wildlife Photography: Faces of the Great Plains
2:30 - Skulls & Skins (Mammals of Kansas)
Eagle -Viewing Field Trips at 10am and 3pm:
Meet at Clinton Lake Corp Headquarters
Dress for the weather, Waterproof footwear advised.
Last minute info about the walk 843-7665
For more information: 842-0475, www.kawvalleyeaglesday.com
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Wednesday, January 30, 2008 at 6:30pm
Public Hearing on the draft Lawrence SmartCode
City Hall, 6 East 6th Street
The draft Lawrence SmartCode is scheduled for a public hearing at the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission's regular meeting on January 30th. The meeting starts at 6:30pm and is held in the City
Commission chambers, City Hall, 6 East 6th Street. The Comprehensive Plan Amendments that are part of the Lawrence SmartCode will also receive public hearings on January 30th. Review all of the documents at http://www.lawrenceplanning.org/TND.shtml
Written comments to the Planning Commission must be received in the Planning Office by 10:00am on Monday, January 28th.
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Thursday, January 31, 2008 - 7:30-9:30pm
Focus the Nation Round Table
Dole Institute of Politics
KU Hillel and the KU Center for Sustainability will host this round table discussion on January 31, 2008, as part of Focus the Nation. Moderated by Simran Sethi, award-winning journalist and environmental correspondent for NBC News, this panel discussion will engage the KU campus and Lawrence community in an open discussion on global climate change, its potential regional impacts, and possible solutions at all levels of government. Panelists for the event include:
State Officials
• Lieutenant Governor Mark Parkinson
• Senator Marci Francisco
• Representative Barbara Ballard
• Representative Paul Davis
• Representative Tom Holland
City of Lawrence Officials
• Sue Hack, Mayor
• Boog Highberger, City Commissioner
University Officials
• Richard Lariviere, Provost & Executive Vice Chancellor
Although there may be time for questions from the audience, we are accepting questions in advance of the event to include as part of the moderated discussion. To submit a question, click here. go to http://www2.ku.edu/~sustain/Events/FTN/FTN_questions.shtml .
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Saturday, February 2, 2008 from 9am to noon
Plainscraft Wilderness Club exploration
Haskell-Baker Wetlands, Lawrence, KS
Explore the woods and wetlands along the Wakarusa River with naturalist Stephen Figgins.
February is often one of our coldest meetings, so dress warmly.
We will meet in our usual spot next to the Wakarusa bridge on Haskell Avenue,
approximately 1 mile south of 31st Street.
If you have any questions, call Stephen Figgins at 785-766-0113.
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Sunday, February 3, 2008, 10am
LSN Steering Committee Meeting
for location and directions, contact info@lawrencesustainability.net
The LSN Steering Committee is a group of volunteers responsible for facilitating the day-to-day running of LSN. All LSN subscribers who wish to help with these responsibilities are encouraged to attend this meeting. The agenda will focus on planning and organizing the next gathering of the whole where we will reflect on our successes, revisit our goals, and assess the ways we've chosen to achieve them. Please join us!
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Monday, February 4, 2008 from 7pm to 9pm
Plainscraft Monday Night Nature Talks: Coming to Your Senses
Lawrence Public Library, Lawrence KS
smaller meeting room
This is the first in a monthly series of Monday night talks on nature
topics, prairie living skills, and how we as a community interact with
the world around us. This first meeting will get us doing more than just talking.
We will learn to see more, hear more, smell more and feel more--all around
sense more as we move through this world.
Living in the city we can become overwhelmed by the world around us.
We learn to tune things out. To develop in our understanding of the
natural world, we must reverse that and awaken our senses. As Ingwe,
a founder of the Wilderness Awareness School liked to say, you must
"lose your mind and come to your senses." Stephen Figgins has learned some
powerful techniques and will share them at this meeting. He will also bring along
some materials and some resource lists to get participants started on their
journeys as naturalists.
If you have any questions, call Stephen Figgins at 785-766-0113.
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RSVP by February 22, 2008 for this April 5 event!
READ-OUT, SING-OUT, SPEAK-OUT, ACT-OUT, DANCE-OUT ON EARTHCARE!
The Environmental Committee of the Oread Friends (Quaker) Meeting invites everyone to participate in a READ-OUT, SING-OUT, SPEAK-OUT, ACT-OUT, DANCE-OUT ON EARTHCARE at the gazebo in Buford Watson Park on April 5, 2008. This event, which we hope will become an annual event in Lawrence, will kick-off the month of April which concludes with Earth Day. It will begin at 8:00 in the morning of April 5 and continue through the night until the morning of April 6. We invite anyone—old and young, alone or in groups—who can read, sing, speak, act, dance, make music, or perform in any way to sign up for a 10-minute slot in a 24-hour, marathon event on global warming.
Please return the short form below by email by February 22, indicating the hours during which you or your group would be able to participate in what should be a creative and celebratory event to inspire and encourage us all.
If you have any questions, contact Beth Schultz at eschultz@ku.edu .
NAME: ___________________________
PHONE: ___________________________
EMAIL:____________________________
Probable Activity (reading, speaking, singing, acting, making music, or performing in any other way). Indicate how approximately many people will be involved:
______________________________________________________________
Preferred Times (give three preferred hours and either AM or PM; please indicate if you would be willing do a night shift). If your event must be longer than 10 minutes, indicate how long it will be, and we will try to compensate. Thank you
1___________________2 ___________________3_________________
Please copy and paste this form into an email sent to eschultz@ku.edu. We look forward to seeing you!
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KU Lecture Series at the Commons
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 at 7pm
Nate Brunsell, KU Assistant Professor of Geography
"Trading Water for Carbon: Climate Change in Kansas"
Spooner Hall
Wednesday, March 5, 2008 at 7pm
An Evening with Roderick Bremby, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment
Dole Institute of Politics
Wednesday, March 26, 2008 at 7pm
William Pizer, Senior Fellow for Resources for the Future
"Global Climate Change Policy: What is Achievable and What are the Options?"
Spooner Hall
Wednesday, April 9, 2008 at 7pm
Andrew Torrance, KU Associate Professor of Law
"Climate Change and the Changing Legal Climate"
Spooner Hall
Wednesday, April 16, 2008 at 7pm
Terry Evans, photographer
"From Prairie to Ice Sheet"
Spooner Hall
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EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Executive Director of the Kansas Land Trust, Inc.
The Kansas Land Trust seeks a skilled, dynamic and collaborative leader to direct the land trust, manage and develop staff, guide the board of directors and inspire volunteers. The Kansas Land Trust protects lands of ecological, scenic, historic, agricultural, or recreational significance in Kansas. Founded in 1990, KLT is the oldest land trust in the state and now holds 30 easements (5759 acres). We seek a candidate with a broad array of skills to realize our ambitious goals and manage our rapid growth. The ideal candidate will have at least five years experience with conservation or land preservation and skills in leadership, financial management, and collaboration with a nonprofit board. KLT works closely with a wide range of constituents—farmers, ranchers, business leaders, urban landowners and public agencies, so the executive director must be able to interact with a variety of partners. ACUB experience is a plus. Salary range starts at $60,000 plus benefits. EOE
Send cover letter and resume by February 10 to Bev Worster, 1034 E. 450 Rd., Lawrence, KS 66047-9503 or email bworster@sunflower.com .
For a complete job description see www.klt.org.
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New Films Airing on Public Access TV
Films for Action TV airs on Channel 99, and is available to Sunflower Cable Television subscribers in the Lawrence, KS area. The films repeat each week on the day listed, with new films appearing in February. Here's what's playing for the month of January:
Mondays at 9pm: Constructing Public Opinion
The media regularly use public opinion polls in their reporting of important news stories. But how exactly do they report them and to what end? In this insightful and accessible film, Professor Justin Lewis demonstrates the way in which polling data are themselves used by the media to not just reflect what Americans think but instead to construct public opinion itself. Exploding the myth that most Americans are moderate or conservative, Constructing Public Opinion demonstrates the way in which political elites help to promote the military industrial complex and how the media sustains belief in an electoral system with a built-in bias against the interests of ordinary people.
Wednesdays at 9:30pm: Our Energy Future Ain't What It Used To Be
"If world oil supply were a six-pack, we just popped the top on the fifth can," Steve Andrews says in a thoroughly-illustrated presentation on the coming global peak in oil production. Andrews is the co-founder of ASPO-USA (Association for the Study of Peak Oil).
For more information visit: www.filmsforaction.org.
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Vajra Farm Herb Grower Apprentice Program
Vajra Farm is accepting applications for its apprentice program for the 2008 growing season for those interested in learning the art of medicinal herb cultivation, organic farming and permaculture techniques. Vajra Farm is a 45-acre research farm and botanical sanctuary, which is located 17 miles north of Lawrence, Kansas.
The Farm is looking for interested individuals and botany students who are willing to participate as apprentices by working approximately 10 hours per week for a minimum of three months. Apprentices will help with clearing of brush, annual burning, preparing cultivation beds, planting, weeding, mowing, seed harvest, prairie restoration projects and much more. Instruction will focus on the following areas:
• Learning the uses of medicinal herbs.
• Cultivation practices of specific medicinal herbs.
• Permaculture design and implementation.
• Learning the basics of habitat restoration and sustainable agriculture.
• Identification of prairie and woodland species.
• Learning the process and requirements of organic certification.
• Preparation of organic fertilizers, biological control of pests, use of soil amendments.
• Plant breeding and husbandry.
General Program: The program will begin March 1 and end in November. There will be no costs for participation but apprentices will be expected to provide their own transportation and expenses.
The apprentice programs are available for only a limited number of participants. Apply by sending a detailed letter describing yourself, interests, why you wish to apprentice, what you hope to learn, and when and how long you wish to participate in the program. Include two references with your application.
Mail your application to: For questions about the program call:
Apprentice Program 785-863-4102 or
Vajra Farm E-mail: smoring@grasshoppernet .com
14370 54th Street Website: www.vajrafarm.com
Oskaloosa, KS 66066
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Communal Living Opportunity at Pinwheel Farm
Sustainable living and/or learning opportunities: Pinwheel Farm is looking for 1-2 (+?) people to live in community in the farmhouse. Participation in farm activities is optional. Arrangements are flexible. Check out our blog at www.pinwheelfarm.blogspot.com to see if this might be a good environment for you to live, learn, work, relax. We are also looking for farm help for the 2008 season. Respond to natalyalowther@hotmail.com or 785-979-6786.
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